Country Threads BOM

I need to think about finishing the projects that I have started, not starting new ones, but sometimes you just can't help yourself.  I have always liked sampler quilts and when I saw this one I decided that I had to do it.  The girls over at Country Threads have started an new online sampler BOM, this isn't a mystery quilt you know what it looks like going in.  (which I like).  I also like the fact that it is monthly, I love Barbara Brackman's block of the week, but I have an awful time keeping up with them.  For January there were two Sawtooth Star blocks, a 12" and a 6" block.  I made both of them yesterday.  Check it out!!!

Two new projects

I have been trying all year to finish projects, not start new ones, but I couldn't resist any longer.  I am addicted to the Block of the Month's from Homestead Hearth.  Or as my friend Krisite calls them Block of the Day (since we get one almost everyday).  I love any quilt that has anything to do with winter or snowmen, and when I saw this BOM from Geoff's Mom I had to have it.  It is a Row of the Month.  On Saturday I received row number 1 and immediately started on it. 

Letters have been traced onto freezer paper, and ironed on black fabric.  I have already appliqued In and The (just forgot to take a photo)

This is the other new project that I have started, actually I have started three of them for Christmas presents.  I am way behind schedule on these.  Luckily you can use a charm pack and a little extra fabric for the background and the backing.



I found the pattern online and ordered it.  It looks pretty simple.  I have paired up the first charm pack for the outside pockets, the lining and the appliqued number.  I don't think it will take long once I actually start sewing.  Before I can start I need to make a trip to the local quilt shop to pick up a few solid colors to do some of the applique numbers.  Wish me luck.

Block Five

I have done no sewing all week until today, and I told myself I had to finish the next block from the Moose on the Porch BOM. Here it is. It took me twice as long as it should have because I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the which way the diagonal went in the blocks. I had to take one section out and redo. After that I decided my mind probably wasn't on sewing after all. I have a skirt that I desperately need to finish. My plan is to do that tomorrow night. Hope I am successful.

Too many BOM's

Help, I think I need an intervention! One of my goals for this year was to finish some of the projects that I had started, without starting new ones and use up some of my stash. Somehow I was delusional and thought that signing up for the Star Crazy BOM would help me decrease my stash. That was my first BOM for the year. Then I found the civil war block from Homestead Hearth and just had to sign up for that. This is in addition to the two other BOM's that I started last year from Homestead Hearth: Starscape and Sylvia's Bridal Quilt. Then I read about the Moose on the Porch Block of the Month on my friend Karin's blog and just had to start it. I finished blocks three and four over the weekend. So far all of the blocks have been really easy to make. As you can see the BOM's are starting to take over my life and my sewing room.

Not only do I have BOM's at home but at school, Book of the Month. Each month we feature a special book that the entire school reads. The book for this month is Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco, one of my favorite authors. This month I read the book to one of our fourth grade classes and encouraged them to write their response to the book. I was then responsible for putting up a bulletin board and displays for the book. I have also been busy working with one of our AP's to determine the books that will be used each month for the 2010-11 school year.

Some days when I get an email at school about our BOM, I wonder why are they asking me about quilting, then I remember that I am at school and they aren't talking about fabric or quilting. I think I need help!!!

Anticipation

Last fall I signed up for a new BOM from Homestead Hearth. They have the best Block of the Month programs. I wasn't going to sign up for any more, I am already getting three of the BOM's, but I couldn't resist this one. It is the Civil War Tribute featuring Marcus Brothers repro fabrics. The program was to start in January and I have been patiently waiting all month to see the familiar manila envelope. The envelopes that I usually get are 5x7, I knew this one would be in a larger envelope, so I had several false alarms that it was here. Yesterday, hubby went to the mailbox so I had no idea that it had arrived. I did my exercise routine, messed around for a while, took a shower, then I saw the mail. I saw a manila envelope with the familiar return address. I was so excited, I couldn't wait to open it. The fabrics are perfect!! I wanted to get started today, but some unexpected and unwanted intestinal issues interfered with my sewing plans.

I caved!

I am really, really trying to finish projects, not start new ones, but I caved over the weekend. Hubby and I were going up to our cabin over the weekend and I wanted to stop at the quilt shop, Country Stitches to spend a gift certificate that I had received for Christmas. They were just putting out their BOM quilt. I took one look at it and had to have it. The name of it is Catch a Christmas Star by Bunny Hill Designs. I shouldn't have done it, but I just couldn't help myself. It isn't a very large quilt, which is a good thing. Most of the blocks are applique. I would like to say that it will be complete by Christmas but probably not until maybe 2011.

Gardening time

Yesterday when I came home from my staff development, my husband had bought me a present: 10 pounds of bell peppers. Believe it or not, I was actually excited about it. We always plant a small garden behind our house, usually just tomatoes, and different kinds of peppers, sometimes cucumbers. This year we planted both bell peppers and cayenne peppers, the cayenne peppers have done well, but the others are just sitting there. I always freeze them to use later in the year. We had talked about going to the Farmers Market and getting some, we just hadn't gotten around to doing it yet. Joe and to go to Macon yesterday for work and just happened to come back by the Farmer's Market and decided to bring me some peppers. It didn't take too long but they are all in the freezer for later use. After freezing those, I decided to go out and check our garden. I picked our first tomatoes and some more cayenne peppers (boy are they hot). Both Joe and my brother love hot stuff, but I think these peppers were a little to hot for even them. I'm not sure what I will end up doing with them. Any suggestions?

After my kitchen chores were competed, I went into the sewing room and finished the binding on a wall hanging that my mom had hand quilted for me. It is the very first thing that I had ever appliqued, and if I do say so myself it turned out pretty good. I am so happy that my mom was able to hand quilt it for me. She does beautiful work and to her a quilt isn't a quilt unless it is quilted by hand. The pattern is All Things Christmas, by Bunny Hill. It was a BOM from Stitch n' Quilt. Tomorrow is Silver Thimble day, have to go get my sewing stuff together.